Semiconductor memory devices, including flash memory, typically utilize memory cells to store data as an electrical value, such as an electrical charge or voltage. A flash memory cell, for example, includes a single transistor with a floating gate that is used to store a charge representative of a data value. Flash memory is a non-volatile data storage device that can be electrically erased and reprogrammed. More generally, non-volatile memory (e.g., flash memory, as well as other types of non-volatile memory implemented using any of a variety of technologies) retains stored information even when not powered, as opposed to volatile memory, which requires power to maintain the stored information.
Typical methods for validating die failures or plane failures for memory devices involve either manipulating the hardware to induce hardware failures or examining hardware that has already failed, to determine how the failure occurred. These methods have their drawbacks, because hardware manipulated failures do not accurately represent actual die failures and a failed die may exhibit a different failure mode at the time of observation, than at the time of its original failure.